Starry Souls
by Mossnose
Summary: Hamon and Stands both reflect the energy of the spirit. What sort of daemons would exist in a world like that? Daemon AU.
1. Phantom Blood

**Starry Souls**

_Part 1: Phantom Blood_

Eliza settling hadn't been anything special. In fact, it was so not special that Jonathan hadn't even noticed that she had stopped changing.

Dio had pointed it out. He and Atarah had been looking at them strangely for a bit during one of those rare moments when the four of them were in the library together. Eliza had been sprawled out on the floor for one of her rare moments of relaxation when their father wasn't around, while Atarah was perched up on Dio's shoulder where she could get a good look at things. The boys had just been studying quietly, minding their own businesses to avoid starting another fight in the one place where both of them could stay calm.

A few minutes in, Atarah had whispered in Dio's ear. He looked up from his book and turned to look at Eliza, who was making an effort to not pay attention to him. "Jojo," he whispered, trying to get his attention without disturbing the sanctity of the library.

"Yes?" Jonathan answered, not looking up from his book. If this was just Dio trying to catch him off guard and bully him again, he wasn't going to fall for it. Though he had been behaving for a while; he hadn't even tried anything behind father's back like he usually would.

"I haven't seen Eliza change in a while. Is this it?" he asked.

Jonathan paused for a moment to consider it. The last time she'd shifted had been... well, now that he thought about it, he couldn't recall. Eliza yawned and got to her paws, seemingly oblivious to her human's shock. "Do you think this will finally satisfy father?" she sighed.

"That doesn't matter," he insisted, looking her up and down. Certainly, father would have to be proud of a lioness in the family, but that had never been important to him. All that mattered was that she was comfortable with who they were. From the looks of things, that wasn't a problem in the slightest. She'd taken to this form so naturally that he couldn't imagine her as anything else. He wanted to shout with joy, but that was very improper to do in a library. "You look wonderful," he told her instead, gently stroking her head.

Finally, she truly relaxed. This was who they were, and no disapproval from father would change that. Dio almost seemed to smile looking at them.

* * *

Atarah had settled the day Dario Brando finally died.

It was quite convenient for Dio. Everyone knew that if a daemon settled when you were young, it meant you were addled or traumatized. Her state helped him gain sympathy from the idiots who thought he was mourning the fact that he'd been orphaned. And her tiny form was quite useful for spying. No one would pay much mind to a moth flitting about unless it got too close to them.

When he realized what exactly the mask could do, Atarah did not share his enthusiasm. She'd seen what it had done for herself, and had been horrified at the sight of the creature with no daemon that it had created. She wanted to be rid of the damned thing, and told him so herself. "No good can come from this, Dio. We can do this together, like we always have," she insisted.

For a while, he had agreed. Then Jonathan and his new street rat friend had backed them into a corner. Atarah was terrified; she knew exactly what he was planning on doing. "Dio, please!" she begged. "We can find another way!"

"I'm sorry, Atarah. But I've come to realize that being human means that you have limits. You are one of them."

Her insides turned to ice as he placed the mask on his own face. The second his brain was pierced by the spikes, she let out a haunting shriek of pain; an awful sound that continued to haunt the nightmares of all who heard it.

"Goodbye, my friend."

* * *

Robert could tell good and evil people apart well enough on his own, but Ruth was really helpful in telling trustworthy people from those who weren't. There was just enough of a difference between the two to matter.

People looked at her and they thought they knew him. A scruffy, patchy little rat to match a street rat. A disease-ridden pest that needed to be driven off. Those that truly knew what rats were capable of would know that they were very intelligent and crafty animals; perfect for someone like him. His gang all understood that; that was one of the main reasons he kept them around. They were the only ones who had ever done so.

At least, until Mr. Joestar showed up.

He should have known better; for someone who was often judged based on his daemon, he judged him pretty quickly. A stupid rich kid with some puffed-up sense of importance. He had thought his daemon just a figurehead for his pride, so he hadn't expected her to brazenly snatch Ruth right off his shoulder by her tail and pin her down. He'd thought for sure that this was it, but to his surprise, the beast let her up. She raced back to his shoulder, but she wasn't frightened at all.

As the two left, the lioness turned back and looked at them, paying particular attention to Ruth. She purred in approval, then returned to her human's side, diligently matching his pacing. So not only was this man kind and devoted to what he set out to do, his daemon could see past the negative stereotypes about rats.

"She wouldn't have really hurt me," Ruth told him later. "She's clearly a good one. But you didn't need me to tell you that."

* * *

Erina would not have been able to leave Jonathan behind for long; Percy wouldn't have let her.

The little dove refused to leave Eliza's side for a moment as she tended to Jonathan's wounds. The big cat was sprawled out on the floor so as to not aggravate her injuries, and he cuddled right up to her belly. At first, she had been embarrassed by how brazen he was being. They hadn't spoken since Dio stole her first kiss; wasn't he moving far too quickly for this? But Jonathan didn't seem to mind at all. Eliza even gave Percy a little lick, which only made her blush more.

Her daemon knew even before she did; Erina Pendleton had fallen madly in love with Jonathan Joestar. Which made it all the more tragic when they were so cruelly parted by that same monster who had done so the first time. This time, however, was far more permanent. For those next three days alone at sea, Percy's sorrowful keening and the baby's pitiful wailing were all that kept her company.

How tragic, that the only time in her life where she was able to truly escape her loneliness was at the very end of it.

* * *

William knew his death was coming as soon as he saw Eliza. He'd long been preparing for that moment.

He and Lucia had been arguing about it for years. While he had accepted his fate, the tiger wanted to go home and be with their family at the end of it all. It was wrong of them to do this; they were Italian, so family was supposed to come first! But he had worn her down long ago, and now they barely spoke to each other. She wanted nothing to do with his cursed destiny.

When she first met Eliza, she tried to push her away. She wanted nothing to do with this cursed brat that would cause her death. But Eliza was persistent. Lucia's attempts to drive her off were met with stern reprimand from Will, but Eliza refused to be swayed. Over time, she realized that the lioness was just as stubborn as Will. But she was also understanding. She would quietly approach the bigger cat and politely attempt to start conversations. If she got no response, she would back off for a while, but she would return eventually. And as their humans grew closer, so did they. The little one was not to blame for their situation, it would be wrong to continue to take it out on her.

When the time of their death finally came, Lucia was no longer afraid. She was sad that she'd be leaving her little cub behind, but she was also happy that she'd been able to help them get that far.

* * *

Jonathan: Eliza, short for Elizabeth (Greek form of a Hebrew name; my God is my oath) Lioness  
Jonathan is often compared to a lion, so I just had to go with it.  
Dio: Atarah (Hebrew; crown) Vampire Moth  
Yeah, I know it's a little on the nose. Butterflies and moths are symbols of change, with moths being more closely associated with the night due to their nocturnal status.  
Speedwagon: Ruth (Hebrew; friend, compassionate) Rat  
Rats are extremely intelligent animals. They are often associated with disease and filth, but they are actually very clean and caring animals.  
Erina: Percy, short for Percival (French; pierce the valley): Mourning dove  
Doves are often seen as a symbol of peace. But in Erina's case, she has spent most of her life grieving for her losses. The loss of her husband and son, and the near-loss of her daughter-in-law, her husband's best friend, and her grandson. As Smokey mentioned in Part 2, she and Joseph were very lonely.  
Zeppeli: Lucia (Italian form of a Latin name; light) Siberian tiger  
A tiger mostly to contrast Jonathan's lion. Also, tigers are more solitary big cats, and Zeppeli left his family behind in pursuit of the mask.


	2. Battle Tendency

**Starry Souls**

_Part 2: Battle Tendency_

Alexis had always taken canine forms.

Whether it was an average dog off the street or some kind of wild animal, she'd always been a canine. Never the little lap dogs, though; she much preferred being big and strong-looking. The Joestar men always had daemons that caught people's attention in one way or another, and Joseph was no exception to the rule. He knew that she was going to be a canine when she settled eventually; he couldn't even begin to imagine her as anything else. But she wasn't suited to look like a pet.

She finally settled the day Caesar died.

In his grief, he almost didn't notice her. Her fur turned tawny and bristly, with a grey patch along her back. Her ears became long and her body became light and slender. She sat down on her haunches and howled a mournful, lonely song of farewell for their dear friend. He knew instinctively that this was it, and another pang ripped through his heart; Caesar would never get to see just how beautiful she had become.

* * *

For the longest time, Caesar's only friend was Alma.

She was a real help on the streets, always taking forms that were big and intimidating. He could always count on her to back him up in a fight, no matter how rough things got. She was all he had, and they were satisfied with that. It didn't matter to him that she hadn't settled; it was far more convenient for them this way. When Mario Zeppeli died saving them, however, she'd shifted one final time.

A swan. Of all things, a swan.

At first, he'd been pretty annoyed. A swan didn't exactly scream, 'I'm dangerous', after all. But when he met Coach Lisa Lisa, her daemon looked Alma up and down and gave her an approving look. After a few weeks, he'd noticed exactly how dangerous she still was. Those powerful wings could easily knock someone back, while her long neck gave her extra range for her tough beak. She was still as powerful as she had ever been; it was just much more subtle now. Plus, the ladies loved her beautiful feathers, so that was a bonus. Jojo's scruffy little mutt could certainly take some pointers from her.

* * *

It had been difficult to hide with Norbu.

That was the one problem Elizabeth ever had with her daemon. Women didn't usually have predators for daemons in her day and age, so a woman with a kestrel would tend to stand out. Thankfully, Straizo had taught her about more than just Hamon. Being Separated had been nerve-wracking back when it first happened, but now she was thankful that she had chosen to go through with it. She could just pretend that she had some tiny insect daemon hidden somewhere in her clothes while Norbu watched from the skies above.

Only her fellow instructors, Suzie, and her students got the privilege of seeing Norbu. She almost didn't want him to see Joseph and Alexis, fearing that he would give her away. But he understood her well enough to keep quiet about it for now. He restrained himself, even though she could feel that he wanted nothing more than to fly over to her and preen her fur, apologizing for leaving for so long.

They'd be dealing with that soon. Just a few more weeks, and she could finally drop the act.

* * *

Stroheim was a German soldier through and through. Adelaide was the perfect reflection of this.

She was always sitting at attention at his heel, never drawing attention to herself or speaking unnecessarily. When given the order, she would attack without question. But when it came to those daemonless monsters they were up against, even she nearly lost her composure. They were absolutely terrifying to behold. She hadn't been able to contribute to that fight at all; even the mangy pup had done more than her. Her pride would not stand for that.

When Stroheim was remade into a cyborg, she requested that the same be done to her as well. Of course, people were hesitant to listen to her request. To do so, they would definitely have to touch her. Not only that, but the idea of cutting up a daemon and giving it man-made parts was horrifying. She had continued to argue about it for quite some time until Stroheim himself stepped in.

"There's no need for that," he insisted. "You're perfect the way you are."

"But I could be so much more!" she argued back.

"What, do you doubt me?" he asked. "You saw how easily my body was broken. Even with that, you didn't disappear. That proves to me that you're already as strong as you need to be."

Adelaide finally settled down, looking at him with her usual grim determination. "The next time we run into those things, that pup will be chasing after me instead."

* * *

Joseph: Alexis (Greek; helper, defender) Coyote  
In Native American folklore, most notably Navajo, Coyote was a trickster spirit who used his intellect to get away with godly mischief. Even nowadays, coyotes are seen as deceptive.  
Caesar: Alma (Latin; soul) Mute Swan  
Swans are often seen as symbols of grace and beauty. However, they are also dangerously ill-tempered and will attack if something gets too close. Both traits match quite well with Caesar.  
Lisa Lisa: Norbu (Tibetan; jewel) Common kestrel  
I always saw her as having some kind of bird, and the speedy kestrel just seemed to fit for some reason.  
Stroheim: Adelaide (German; noble kind) German Shepard  
Honestly, what could possibly be more German than that?


	3. Stardust Crusaders

**Starry Souls**

_Part 3: Stardust Crusaders_

No one ever knew what to make of Mirai.

Wolves had been extinct in Japan for almost 100 years, so this dangerous punk having a daemon like that definitely put people on edge. She was big, strong, and never afraid to show her teeth. What most people didn't seem to notice was that she was content to ignore everyone around her as long as Jotaro wasn't bothered. She was far more than just a savage beast; such a shame people didn't seem interested in trying to see that, and she didn't seem interested in showing that. It led to a lot of fights, and while Jotaro certainly didn't help matters, she caused her fair share of injuries herself.

It wasn't until he left the country that he really understood why she was like that.

Above all else, wolves were loyal and dedicated to their packs. Lone wolves would not get far in life. At first, it had just been him, Mirai, his mother, and Colm (maybe his father too, if he was home). Then gramps showed up with Alexis, and he brought Avdol and Salma. That led to meeting and becoming friends with Kakyoin, Sakura, Polnareff, and Marie. He even liked that little shit of a dog Iggy. These guys were their pack now.

As their pack grew, Mirai became more open and spoke up more often. She had quite the mouth on her, with a quip for almost every occasion. Marie was a frequent victim, often barking indignantly at her. She'd let Sakura sun on her back, listening to her rambling on about some random facts without getting bored or annoyed. Salma would often rest in her fur, trusting Mirai to not shake her out. She'd sometimes howl in the night with Alexis if they'd had a bad day, her deep tones blending well with the older canine's much higher pitch.

Wolves could only really shine in packs.

* * *

Joseph had gotten older and Alexis had gotten tired, but they were still as sharp as ever.

They certainly needed to be now, dealing with this situation. Poor Holly and Colm were sick, and if they didn't get to Egypt as quickly as possible, they could die. It was their jobs as the oldest to lead these guys through this. They were tough and could certainly take care of themselves, but they were still kids. Heck, some of them were even younger then they had been when they fought the Pillar Men! Joseph couldn't stop thinking about what could go wrong. What if he messed up? What if he lost one? What if they didn't make it in time?

For her part, Alexis made an effort to get to know everyone inside and out. Knowing their strengths and weaknesses would help to co-ordinate things to give them a better chance at surviving. Mirai thought she was nosy, but she was just trying to make sure she knew what everyone was capable of. Thinking three steps ahead of your opponents was the key to survival, after all. Alexis had always been chatty, trying to prompt others to talk, but she was now also making an effort to listen if someone needed to get something off their chests. These efforts made her a close confidant to the others, creating a solid bond of trust.

Unfortunately for them, what they had feared had come to pass. Avdol, Iggy, and Kakyoin had all been killed in the struggle, and they'd nearly lost their lives as well. As the sun rose and scorched DIO's body into ashes, Alexis howled in mourning. Mirai's much deeper howls had joined them soon after. If Marie had been there, she most certainly would have tried joining in.

He knew it had been asking too much for all of them to make it home. Even with all of their experience, they were still human.

* * *

Salma definitely helped with Avdol's reputation as a fortune teller. Scarabs were a sign of good fortune, after all.

He couldn't help his chest swelling with pride whenever he saw someone's face light up at the sight of her beautiful black carapace. To that end, she always made an effort to be as visible as possible, despite her size. She could often be seen clinging onto his clothes and letting the red accent her appearance. She loved being looked at, and she loved it when it made Avdol happy.

That certainly didn't mean she wasn't good at hiding, no matter what Marie said.

When Avdol was nearly killed, she hid in the shadows underneath him and prayed that no one would see her. Even Kakyoin hadn't noticed her, with her black shell making her almost invisible. If Sakura noticed her, she didn't say anything. It wasn't until Mr. Joestar and Jotaro showed up that she could relax and come out of hiding. After that little trick, Marie never accused her of being a show-off ever again. She'd started teasing the poor dog by playing hide-and-seek with her, and winning every single time.

She'd been so good at hiding, in fact, that it had taken Marie a while to figure out that she hadn't pulled it off again when she disappeared the second time.

* * *

People tended to avoid Kakyoin. He didn't mind it all that much.

Why would he bother being friends with someone who couldn't understand him, anyway? It was bad enough that no one else could see Hierophant Green. Their perception of Sakura only worsened his opinion on the matter. All they saw was a snake; something dangerous and untrustworthy. If they couldn't see past their own prejudices and see what they really were, he didn't want anything to do with them.

Everything changed after he met DIO.

It had felt good for a while; finally, someone who didn't flinch at the sight of Sakura! She didn't seem to agree, as she'd been hissing whenever she saw him or someone mentioned him, but he'd assumed she was just shy, or she was antsy over the fact that he had no daemon. Then the incident with Jotaro happened, and he came out of that dream-like haze with Sakura pinned and writhing under a massive wolf, which he'd recognized as Jotaro's daemon. She let Sakura up as soon as everything had calmed down, and she immediately took her place across his shoulders, curled up and shaking.

"Why did you help me?" he'd asked.

"She asked me to. Didn't really have a reason to refuse," Jotaro answered. He never explained who exactly had asked; Sakura or Mirai. Either way, he was grateful enough to come along on their journey to Egypt to take down DIO. To his surprise, no one said anything negative about Sakura the whole time. Usually, he'd just get comments about how she really suited him. No one shied away or claimed they couldn't trust him just because his daemon happened to be a snake. Polnareff even cracked a joke about how she had to settle like that because she matched Hierophant Green so perfectly, which actually got him to laugh a little.

He'd never been happier. Which made it all the more painful when it was taken away all too soon.

* * *

Marie always knew how to get Polnareff to smile, even when he was thinking too hard about things.

Some (mostly Salma) would call her clownish, but maintaining a good mood was always important. A good mood was good for your health, and going into battle in a bad mood often lead to mistakes. So Marie did her best to minimize the risk by doing whatever she could to keep her other half happy. He probably would've given up on his pursuit years ago if she hadn't been there to keep his spirits up and encourage him.

She stopped for a while after the flesh bud. If he was in his right mind, he would've easily been able to tell that something was wrong with her then.

When joining up with Mr. Joestar's group, she immediately settled into the same role as last time; trying to keep spirits high. Mirai was a tough audience, but that just made it more fun to try. Alexis went right along with her, so they became fast friends. Sakura would sometimes tease her right back, and Salma... Salma had a way with words like no one else. She often made the poor dog look like a fool, so they argued quite often, with Marie barking indignantly while Salma calmly turned all of her points right back at her.

Then there was that little shit terrier Iggy. She'd honestly thought that there was a chance they could get along after their rocky start, but he just kept bullying Jean with that stupid little smirk on his face. He never took any shots at her, but his looks of annoyance were enough. It was as if he hated the fact that they were the same species. But there was something about that stubbornness that she had to admit she liked.

Then they were gone, and they were alone again.

* * *

Iggy's opinions of Joestar's pack weren't very positive at first. Especially their souls.

Humans were weird; why would they have parts of their souls outside of their bodies? And why would they look like animals? Sure, the big ones could be dangerous to enemies, but if anything happened to the soul, they'd die too. A smaller animal would be fragile and easily injured. A bigger animal would be a large target to hit. In general, it just wasn't practical for survival. Iggy didn't get it, and probably never would.

And yet they somehow survived all that time.

When they got attacked by that water guy in the desert, the greyhound's speed and long strides ensured that the boa was out of danger. When that freaky sword started causing trouble like he thought it would, the wolf was able to prevent serious injury by holding the greyhound down. When he saw that woman fighting Joestar and Avdol, the scarab was clinging to the coyote's fur for safety. It was just like a pack dynamic; the strong protected the vulnerable when needed. Staying together and watching each other's backs was how they had managed to survive this long. They knew their vulnerabilities, and took steps to cover for them.

He still couldn't say he really liked them, but they were at least interesting. And the greyhound was fun to tease anyways.

* * *

Jotaro: Mirai (Japanese; future) Honshu wolf  
Jotaro is associated with the Star, which represents hope for the future (hence the name). Also, Jotaro is very much like a wolf if you really look at him closely.  
Joseph: Alexis (Greek; helper, defender) Coyote  
Holly: Colm (Irish; peace) Valais Blacknose Sheep  
Ever heard the phrase 'gentle as a lamb'? And they're so cute!  
Avdol: Salma (Egyptian; peace) Sacred Scarab beetle  
I was torn between this and a scarlet ibis, but the added symbolism of scarabs with the sun shifted my choice in the beetle's favor.  
Kakyoin: Sakura (Japanese; cherry blossom) Emerald tree boa  
Can you really blame me for this one? That just screams Kakyoin.  
Polnareff: Marie (French version of the Hebrew Mary; bitter) Greyhound  
The fastest dog breed with the best eyesight. I just had to go with this.


End file.
